Mobile SEO Optimization: Optimize Your Website

MOBILE SEO

The goal of mobile search engine optimization (SEO) is to make your website more visually appealing and to rank higher in search results for mobile devices.

Due to the fact that billions of people search the internet on their mobile devices, mobile SEO optimization is crucial.

Did you know that there were about 6.7 billion smartphone users globally in 2023, and that figure is predicted to rise to over 7.7 billion by 2028?

Over 50% of web traffic originates from mobile devices, according to Think With Google. You are thereby losing out on a significant amount of visitors and revenue if your website is not mobile-friendly.

You’ll find some of the best mobile website SEO strategies and tactics that still perform like magic in 2024 in this free ebook.

Top 8 Mobile SEO Best Practices for 2024

1. Create a Mobile-Friendly Site

Remember that Google prioritizes mobile content while indexing? Google Search Central is the source.

All new websites have mobile-first indexing enabled by default.

Indexing mobile-first entails Instead of using the desktop version of the website for crawling and indexing, Google primarily uses the mobile version.

By visiting the “Mobile Usability report” in Google Search Console, you may see whether your website is indexed for mobile traffic first. Your website’s pages will show up as “Usable pages” if it is mobile-first indexed.

Using Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool is an additional easy method. You can use this tool to test how user-friendly your page is on a mobile device.

To view your page’s score, all you have to do is input its URL.

Take a peek;

As you can see, if your website is mobile-friendly, the tool will indicate, “Page is usable on mobile.”

Using a mobile-friendly theme is the simplest and most efficient way to make a WordPress website responsive. There are just too many options available when it comes to mobile-friendly themes, including;

• GeneratePress
• Astra
• Elegant Themes

The WordPress themes listed above are quite reasonably priced and have a mobile-responsive design right out of the box.

2. Make Use of Mobile SEO Plugins

Use the self-hosted WordPress platform for your website if you haven’t already.

The most potent CMS (content management system) available today is WordPress. Best feature? It provides a ton of mobile SEO plugins that can aid in your optimization efforts. These are some useful mobile search engine optimization plugins for 2024.

WPTouch: This plugin is crucial for building a completely responsive website for mobile devices. The content on the same URLs as your default theme can be changed by it.

Also, you have control over your sites, menus, gadgets, etc. Compared to desktops or responsive themes, it provides a large selection of themes that are up to five times faster. If you simply need the most basic functions, there is a free version as well.

Smush: This WordPress plugin optimizes images. Smush is a vital tool for websites with a large image library. Numerous helpful functions, including mass smush to optimize multiple photos at once, auto-optimize, image scaling, slow loading, and more, are available with this plugin.

WP Mobile Menu: Use this plugin to create a responsive mobile menu for WordPress. It functions flawlessly on all devices, including desktops, tablets, and smartphones, and gives your mobile users simple access to your website content.

3. Stop Using Popups

Most websites employ invasive popups in an attempt to grow their email list or boost sales.

However, give up on popups if you want to give smartphone users the BEST possible experience on your website.

How come? Users DO NOT benefit from popups on websites since they make the material difficult to use.

According to Google, using popups can actually lower your mobile search ranks.

Google has been penalizing websites that utilize “intrusive popups” for years, as you can see above.

Therefore, don’t cover up content on your page with an advertisement if you want better mobile SEO optimization.

The following less obtrusive options are available if you still wish to use popups to encourage conversions.

• Employ hello bars: These sticky bars that show up at the top or bottom of websites are called hello bars. Because they don’t obscure users’ view of the material they are seeking to access, they are less obtrusive than popups.
• Employ slide-ins: These appear from the side of the screen as opposed to the top or bottom, and they are comparable to hello bars.
• Use Embedded Forms: You can insert embedded forms anywhere on a website, for example, in a product page or blog post. Popups are not as effective as these for gathering email addresses.
• Use exit-intent popups: These are windows that show up just before a person leaves your website. Use them exclusively on designated pages to avoid bothering smartphone users.

4. Optimize your Titles and Meta Descriptions

The first things mobile users see when they search for your website on Google are your titles and meta descriptions.

They also play a major role in influencing whether or not someone chooses to click on your link.

Make sure your meta descriptions and titles are optimized as follows:

• Simple and direct: The title of your website should be enough to convey to readers what it is about.
• Keyword-rich: Make an effort, but don’t go overboard, to incorporate your target keywords into your meta descriptions and titles.
• Persuasive wording and powerful verbs can effectively entice readers to click on your link.

Additional suggestions for improving your titles and meta descriptions are provided below:

• In your meta description and title tag, choose terms with comparable intents.
• Don’t exceed 60 characters for titles and 160 characters for meta descriptions.
• Incorporate inquiries into your meta descriptions to pique readers’ interest.

5. Optimize for Local Mobile SEO

You have to optimize for mobile if you run a small or local business.

For mobile optimization, local SEO is extremely important. How come? because a growing number of consumers are looking for nearby companies with their mobile devices.

More than half of all searches are now done on mobile devices, claims Google.

What is the most effective approach to use local mobile SEO, then, to increase traffic and sales?

Target geo-specific keywords.

Local keywords are required in the content of your website. It is advisable to locate and employ geo-specific keywords, or keywords that are location-based.

The following are a few instances of geo-specific keywords:

• “Logo Design near me”
• “Pizza delivery near me”
• “Plumber in San Francisco”
• “Hair salon in Los Angeles”
• “Car dealership in New York”
• “Coffee shop in Seattle”

Here are some more suggestions for focusing on geo-specific keywords:

• Even if you’re targeting geo-specific keywords, use long-tail keywords. Long-tail keywords are less competitive and more specialized. They therefore have a higher chance of appearing highly in local search results.
• Employ modifiers particular to a place. To make your keywords more geo-specific, utilize location-specific modifiers like “near me,” “in [city],” or “in [state].”
• Examine the local keywords that your rivals are already ranking for by doing a competition analysis. Make sure they apply to your company so that Google will send you relevant traffic.

6. Optimize “Above the Fold”

The first thing people see when they scroll is “above the fold.”

Since it’s the first thing users view when they land on your page, above the fold content is crucial on smartphones.

It may surprise you to learn that visitors using mobile devices are more likely to leave your website if they can’t find what they’re looking for above the fold.

Consequently, leaving a positive impression is crucial.

Make use of powerful visuals, such as sharp photos and eye-catching calls to action above the fold.

The following are some best practices for making your content more smartphone-friendly above the fold:

• Make your headline succinct and unambiguous. Whichever website you have, users should see your headline right away. Therefore, take your time while creating the names for your blog posts or site. Steer clear of all caps, as this can make it challenging to understand your title.
• Make use of a large font. Because smartphone screens are smaller than desktop screens, make sure the typeface is readable at a sufficient size. Using a font size of at least 16 pixels is a decent general rule of thumb.
• Make good use of white space. The empty area surrounding your text and graphics is known as white space. It might improve the readability and visual appeal of your material.
• Avoid overcrowding your above-the-fold material with pictures and text.

7. Research Keywords for Voice Search

52% of people use voice search while operating a vehicle, did you know that? Today’s Social Media.

Furthermore, 65% of people aged 25 to 49 chat to their voice-activated gadgets every day (PwC)

The newest big thing in mobile SEO is voice search.

So, be sure to optimize your website for voice searches if you want to increase traffic and improve mobile optimization outcomes.

In case you’re unaware, voice search allows you to look for information on the internet by simply speaking. You ask your inquiry aloud, as opposed to typing it into Google search.

People use a variety of voice search assistants, including Alexa, Siri on the iPhone, and others.

Some examples of voice search:

• “Find me the nearest coffee shop.”
• “What is the weather forecast for tomorrow?”
• “Define the word ‘SEO.’”
• “Set a timer for 10 minutes.”

speaking search Optimizing your website for voice assistants such as Apple Siri, Microsoft Cortana, Google Assistant, and others is known as search engine optimization (SEO). So how can you make your website voice search-friendly? The top voice search techniques are listed below.

Look for long-tail keywords: Compared to short-tail keywords, long-tail keywords are less competitive and more specific. As an illustration, the 5-word long-tail keyword “Semrush SEO tool free trial” is less competitive than the short-tail keyword “Semrush trial.”

Additionally, those that are closer to making a purchase are more likely to choose long-tail keywords. Therefore, employ long-tail keywords to improve conversions and drive targeted traffic to your website from smartphones.

You can identify long-tail keyword terms in your niche by using tools like Ubersuggest, Semrush, and Google Autosuggest, among others.

Target keywords based on questions: Keywords that begin with a question word, such as “what,” “how,” or “why,” are known as question-based keywords. Smartphone users that utilize voice assistants like Siri, Alexa, and others frequently use them.

Use conversational keywords: Use these suggestions to focus on question-based keywords:

• Use the “People Also Ask” box on Google. When you perform a Google search, be sure to go down to the “People Also Ask” box. Here you will see a list of frequently asked questions that are connected to the phrase you are searching for.
• To find question-based keywords, use keyword research tools such as Semrush Keyword Magic. All you have to do is type in a seed term to get a list of related keywords—including question-based keywords—from Semrush.
• Think about the questions that people in your target demographic are probably going to ask.

Enhance your writing by utilizing natural language: Last but not least, you must use natural language to enhance your voice searches. When writing, stick to plain language. Make an effort to incorporate the terms that users frequently use while conversing with voice assistants such as Alexa or Siri.

8. Improve Core Web Vitals

Google use Core Web Vitals (CWV) performance measurements to determine how consumers interact with a website. It only gauges a website’s loading time, responsiveness, and visual consistency.

Your website performs better in searches if its CWV scores are higher.

One of the greatest resources for determining your website’s CWV scores is Semrush.

The Site Audit tool from Semrush can be used to determine fundamental web vital scores.

As you can see, 90% out of 100 is a respectable grade for our website.

Best feature? When you browse down a little, the program also provides you with suggestions.

Notice that? For each Core Web Vitals statistic, you’ll receive an analysis of pages based on their current state along with improvement advice.

For those that wish to enhance their Core Web Vitals, Semrush is a necessary tool.

The following are some quick pointers for raising CWV scores:

• You may add up to 5 projects, 500 keywords to track, and 10,000 results every report with the Pro plan, which costs $119.95 per month.
• You may add up to 15 projects, 1500 keywords to track, and 30,000 results every report with the Guru plan, which costs $229.95 per month.
• You can add up to 40 projects, 5000 keywords to track, and 50,000 results each report with the $449.95/month Business Plan.

A Quick Checklist for Mobile Website SEO

Here’s a helpful mobile SEO checklist for website owners and SEOs.

• It is easier to design a responsive website with a mobile-friendly theme. WordPress users have an abundance of responsive themes at their disposal. We suggest using Astra or GeneratePress.
• Try your website across a variety of mobile devices. Make sure your website looks excellent and functions effectively across all devices, even if it is mobile responsive. To see how your website looks on different devices, you may evaluate its responsiveness using a free application like BrowserStack.
• Have a quick load time for mobile websites. Everything should be compressed, including databases, minifications, GZIP compression, and so forth. To find areas where you may speed up your mobile website, use Google’s PageSpeed Insights tool. To speed up loading times, make sure to use compressed files and optimize your photographs.
• Make sure that your website is always easy to navigate and read on mobile devices. Make sure that material on mobile devices is equal to content on desktops by using mobile-first indexing and giving it priority.
• Make sure your material is mobile-friendly. Make use of more graphics, larger fonts, and shorter words. Make your material readable and scannable on mobile platforms.
• Make use of text-to-speech so that users of smartphones can access your website’s content without having to read it. For people who are on the go or have reading difficulties, it is quite beneficial.
• If your company is local, focus on keywords related to your location. You may target mobile consumers looking for local companies or services by using local keywords.
• JavaScript files, popups, and other such elements should not be used as they can cause your website to load slowly and become challenging to use on mobile devices.

FAQs on mobile SEO strategy

Final thoughts on SEO for mobile devices

Make sure to test your website on a variety of mobile devices to ensure optimal viewing across ALL of them.

One of the key components of mobile SEO optimization is page loading speed, therefore switch to a faster web host, use a CDN, and activate caching.

How do you feel about SEO on mobile devices? Do you have a plan for mobile SEO? Do you have inquiries? Tell us in the comments below.